Spectacular skies!

The sunsets have been performing well lately!  Weather is fairly settled right now with hot sunny days and a breeze if we are lucky.  At night it cools off comfortably.  Our daily routine of boat chores to swimming pool to showers to sundowners is mesmerizing us into apathy!  So we have signed up for the festivities next week when the annual Musket Cove Regatta kicks off.  About 80 boats have registered so there should be lots of partying with trips to outer islands and silliness all around.  As the only Canadian boat registered this year, we will have to represent the country!

Linda is off kayaking with a kiwi friend so I might get ambitious and clean the long green slimy stuff off the prop!

another hike on Malolo Island!

It was an overcast day, threatening to rain, so perfect for hiking!  Tide was extremely low this morning so we crossed between the islands and followed the beach......this young fellow dogged our footsteps along the way....

Musket Cove anchorage!

Beautiful view from the top of the hill!  The light coloured bits are reefs!  You can just see Toketie....dark hull to the far right!

On a hike!

....miles from nowhere....

Take a hike!

Eh!

Coconut Plantation!

The ubiquitous coconut!

....great with rum!

Andre, Sivo & Manasa

These young pastors were collecting sea cucumbers on the reef at low tide!

Sunset in Musket Cove!

....and another glorious day comes to a close in Fiji!

Relaxing!

Actually got into the water yesterday!  First time since Tonga last year.  The Island Cruising Association rally fleet were having a picnic on a sand bar, at least for a few hours they were, till the sand bar disappeared with the tide!  I drifted out to the edge and snorkelled over some beautiful clumps of live coral full of tropical fish.  Later we inflated the kayaks and spent a couple of hours drifting around the bay.

Today was a 'pool' day!  Hot sun drove us in to swim in the pool and lounge on the beach.  Tonight we will have Tom & Dawn from 'Warm Rain' over and say goodbye as they prepare to leave with the 20 rally boats to Vanuatu.

We will stay behind and struggle to maintain this hectic pace!

The view from our deck!

This is the Fiji we were looking for!  

Life's a 'Beach'!

Watch out for falling coconuts!  Lounge chairs all along the beach!  Hammocks galore!  And the sunset....every night!

The pool at Musket Cove!

This resort is very 'yachtie' friendly!  We have complete access to all their facilities.  Enjoying the pool!

The Island Bar!

$2 drinks!  bar b q pits!  laid back folks!  jimmy buffet where are you?

Paradise found!

Today we finally arrived in Fiji!  At least it felt that way, the hot tropical sun, the white sandy beaches, the clear water and coloured fishies!  We left the Vuda Point Marina after our two day haulout and patch to the minor damage caused by the reef.  Shortest haulout this year, mind you it was also the third haulout this year!

We motored in very light air across a flat sea to Malolo Lailai Island in the Mamanuca Group.  I can see why people spend extra to fly here.  It is truly beautiful and that's not only because we spent the last two months in rainy Suva!

We are connecting with friends we have not seen since NZ, tonight we went in for the bar b q at the Island Bar where they fire up the pits and you bring your own to throw on the fire.  The climate here is very comfortable with a nice breeze to offset the heat of the tropical sun and it cools off enough at night to sleep!

In fact, we like it so much here we have decided to park Toketie for the cyclone season and fly home to reconnect with family and friends.  

Meanwhile it is time to relax and enjoy this incredible place!  Tomorrow is a beach day!  The first since Tonga last year and we are due, the list of boat chores can wait....at least another day!

Good news!

Today we hauled out to survey damage from going on the reef on Snake Island!

minor scratches to bottom of keel!

what a relief!  After pounding on the reef for almost an hour, this is the only superficial damage we sustained!  Now we appreciate why we have a steel boat!

Seke!

Seke works for Baobab, the only game in town.  Very professional, very knowledgeable and took care of us same day!  Also a nice guy eh!

primer coat

After sanding down the area with a grinder, Seke applied the first coat of primer!

epoxy coat

same day, second coat of epoxy applied....we are lookin' good!